Featuring psychedelic-assisted ceremonies, the Jamaican retreat from Dimensions facilitates personal growth and self-exploration. Rose Dykins reports
Dimensions – a Canadian company that offers safe, legal psychedelic-assisted experiences for personal growth, wellbeing, and creative exploration – has launched Ascend, a series of international, luxury destination plant medicine retreats in Jamaica.
The Ascend retreat programme will combine psychoeducation (developing understanding around mental health and wellbeing), psychedelic plant medicine ceremonies, community, and complementary mind–body practices in an immersive, luxurious natural environment.
The first two retreats will take place at The Great House at Good Hope estate near Trelawny, Jamaica from September 30 to October 7, 2022 and December 10 to December 17, 2022.
Dimensions was founded in 2021 by a team of leading clinicians, therapists, and hospitality experts to provide a new paradigm for wellbeing and mental health. Its programmes involve psychedelic-assisted ceremonies held in natural environments, led by “Plant Elders” and guided by expert psychedelic therapists.
Led by Dimensions’ chief clinical officer, Jesse Hanson, the Ascend programme will last for 11 weeks in total. This includes four weeks of pre-trip preparation, one week of on-site practices, and six weeks of post-retreat integration once participants return home.
This is to ensure that participants maximise their transformational experiences, and forge a clear plan and path forwards to maintain their life improvements.
The Ascend programme combines ancient practices with modern neuroscience. It draws upon polyvagal theory (which explores the relationship between the body’s nervous system in emotional regulation) and practices with psychedelic medicine to deliver an integrated guest experience in an intimate, safe environment.
Set on a 2000-acre historical property, the Good Hope Estate is surrounded by hills, vales and a river running through its tropical landscape – in line with Dimensions’ belief in the importance of nature’s role in the healing experience.
The mountain-top Great House overlooks the Queen of Spain Valley and, during the Ascend retreats, guests will stay in its private suites. The package will include all programmed activities, spa services, and organic meals prepared daily to suit all dietary needs.
Christopher Dawson, co-founder and CEO of Dimensions, says: “We are relentless in the pursuit of our mission, which is ‘retreat, reset, transform’.
“The Ascend programme has been carefully designed by our expert teams to offer the very highest standards in self-betterment in pristine, natural environments to maximise our guests’ journeys to wellbeing, and ensure participants receive personalised experiences that initiate lasting personal growth.”
Hanson adds: “The launch of the Jamaica Ascend retreats is an ideal complement to the retreat experience that we will be offering at our flagship Dimensions Algonquin Highlands location in Ontario, Canada, and future retreats that we are developing in Costa Rica and Mexico.
“This a significant milestone as we continue to expand our diverse programming with a focus on the intersection of luxury hospitality, modern science, and plant medicine.”
Dimensions is due to unveil details of the upcoming private group programmes on offer at Dimensions Algonquin Highlands in July 2022.